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FlyingTexan

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 13, 2015
903
730
I have the 15pro but had the 13mini sitting in a drawer. Decided last night to swap back and try it out. My lord this this is so much better. The only reasons I went with the 15pro were the camera and I swear there’s a defect in the mini where it overheats and drains the battery. I do think the newer iOS has maybe addressed that. I love the lighter weight and smaller form factor. If this thing had the camera of the 15pro I’d have paid whatever for it to be in the mini. I guess I’ll keep the 15Pro around for when I want the camera. Such a shame we can’t get a pro level mini. It was never a price point issue for me. I don’t know anyone that uses that weird fisheye wide lens anyway.
 

snipr125

macrumors 68000
Oct 17, 2015
1,916
2,973
UK
I have the 15pro but had the 13mini sitting in a drawer. Decided last night to swap back and try it out. My lord this this is so much better. The only reasons I went with the 15pro were the camera and I swear there’s a defect in the mini where it overheats and drains the battery. I do think the newer iOS has maybe addressed that. I love the lighter weight and smaller form factor. If this thing had the camera of the 15pro I’d have paid whatever for it to be in the mini. I guess I’ll keep the 15Pro around for when I want the camera. Such a shame we can’t get a pro level mini. It was never a price point issue for me. I don’t know anyone that uses that weird fisheye wide lens anyway.
Yes im the same as you, got my 15 Pro and both the Mini iPhones, and whenever I use them I cant believe how good the small and light form factor is. I do like the 15 Pro as well though especially because of USB C, Titanium frame and the Cameras.
 

FlyingTexan

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 13, 2015
903
730
Yes im the same as you, got my 15 Pro and both the Mini iPhones, and whenever I use them I cant believe how good the small and light form factor is. I do like the 15 Pro as well though especially because of USB C, Titanium frame and the Cameras.
Really wish they’d deliver a new mini. It’d have usb c. I don’t care about the titanium as the mini is super light. Whatever works best for apple there but the newer cpus in these would generate less heat and be amazing. I’m going to run this for a little while. Didn’t realize how much I missed it. There were power management issues. Using CarPlay on it plugged in to charge would make it get super hot. I drove 8hrs one day and it hadn’t changed any because it was using gps and data at the same time.
 

fw85

macrumors regular
Jun 22, 2023
168
352
Most people seem to prefer lugging a comically large slab of glass on their person all day long, slowly approaching the size of an average window frame.

I'd love a mini with as many pro features as can be fit in there. I hope that Apple gives the people who still prefer a sane phone size (that can actually fit in a human hand, not that of a gorilla) some option to buy at least once every few years.
Maybe such an infrequent cycle could spark a wave of upgrades everytime, from the people who otherwise don't have a choice - and make it worthwhile for Apple to manufacture every now and then...
 

Bandoholic

macrumors 6502
Jun 15, 2024
287
361
I have been using 13 mini, since it was released, as an upgrade from 6S. I love the size, and the ability of being able to use it one handed, as I have disability in my left hand, but alas, my aging eyes are having a hard time viewing the screen, and I long for a better camera and battery life. I will go check out the 16 pro when it arrives and if I’m able to use it one handed, I might get it. But in any case I will keep the 13 mini as a backup or to switch phones
Depending on use.
 

splifingate

macrumors 68000
Nov 27, 2013
1,716
1,586
ATL
Put my 13-mini to the Test this past week (immersion into the high-desert of California (Mojave National Preserve)).

anza-borrego_overlook.jpg


I flew-in to Las Vegas, and got a rental truck . . . 1,300 miles-of-driving, later, I returned it, and flew Home.

Not only did I tax my Mini with the extreme heat (daily tamps out in the desert hovered between 40-43C on the daily), but also with constant use.

I drove-around in an A/C-conditioned truck (clocked over 200mi/day) . . . I had GoogMaps, Gaia, Camera, Messages and CarPlay continually tapping my Mini as the Hub in areas where Signal was often non-existent.

My Mini was (almost) constantly hooked-into the 45W USB-C port in the Toyota Tacoma, yet I finally found that She really struggled to maintain Her previous status as a svelte, perk and performant Unit.

Now that I'm back to Civs, She acts like nothing happened.

Thank you--little iPhone--for fearlessly pulling all that weight, and successfully serving as Focus.

I watched you, Sister,
And we made Peace with ourselves.
Oh, how we did laugh!
 

arkitect

macrumors 604
Sep 5, 2005
7,315
15,212
Bath, United Kingdom
It's a lovely phone that has given me all I need in a phone.

As much as I hope that Apple do make a small phone again, I can't realistically see that happening. People have become so accustomed to those god awful large slabs of glass…

My 13 Mini will need a battery early next year I suspect, and that'll be set for another couple years.
 

AppleTO

macrumors 65816
Oct 31, 2018
1,037
2,869
Toronto, Canada
Never had a mini but I would definitely replace my 14 Pro with a future mini if they ever make one again.

I don’t like the size of the standard phones now. For me, the iPhone X/XS/11 were perfect.

I was hoping the next SE would be in the 5.6”-5.8” range, but it looks like we are back to over 6”…
 

DWC23093

macrumors newbie
May 28, 2024
4
6
Central Virginia
Still loving my iPhone 13mini after all this time for all the reasons above. But, when I look around at what is the trend in the Android world as well as the Appleverse, no one is ready to embrace “small is good” anymore. Time for me to start my hand expansion exercises!
 
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Reactions: _Mitchan1999

thadoggfather

macrumors P6
Oct 1, 2007
15,820
16,664
Are you sure it's been discontinued??
Not Refreshed ≠ Discontinued.
Releasing one every third (or so) generation could definitely be justifiable.

It’s been discontinued. They pulled it from being sold by apple when iPhone 15 came out around this time last year

They still sell refurbs but not in stock often or for long. All other retail channels don’t have any in general either or accessories

..it’s been erased as if it never even existed

Sad bc I think pricing was the issue and the fact the se 2020 came out a handful of months before introduction of mini with iPhone 12 mini, a 4 year gap from 2016 se1 releasing people who wanted smaller phones and on more of a budget

They also didn’t really advertise it. A failure of marketing not a failure of a product. But apple being apple they blame it on the product and it goes on the chopping block after 2 gens

I think an se that’s a mini would sell like hot cakes because of the price

That said I’d also love to see a pro mini. If price is no object how far can they take that form factor I wonder

- really bad battery
- old processor by todays standard
- 60hz screen

for those reasons I would never use an 13 Mini today.

but if it got slightly thicker and the new stacked battery, with A18, and 120hz, then heck yea!
Fair but regular iPhone 16s are likely to be 60hz. Really bad battery may be due to worn battery and social media app usage if you’re smart it may be do able supplemented w a battery pack especially. My se2020 lived in a smart battery silicone case for most of the time and this is better than that and from what I hear about 12 mini battery life as well. Is it a pro max? No. But it’s also not weighted like one

And old processor sure but it’s still what’s in the mini 6 and regular iPhone 13 both of which are still being sold. A15 is perfectly competent for the basic routine of tasks

There’s no harm in being a slow os upgrader too. iOS 18 looks kinda boring to me tbh
 
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DoghouseMike

macrumors regular
Jan 18, 2011
163
21
UK
Yea, big fan! Been using mine since release. Contract is up on it next month, but think I’ll stick with it and enjoy the savings on monthly outgoings. The battery definitely isn’t *great*, but apart from that it hasn’t missed a beat.
The upcoming AI stuff I can get to on the iPad (which is where I’m more likely to want it anyway). Biggest iPad/smallest iPhone life is grand, much recommended
 

snak-atak

macrumors 6502
Mar 9, 2022
273
813
I have the 15pro but had the 13mini sitting in a drawer. Decided last night to swap back and try it out. My lord this this is so much better. The only reasons I went with the 15pro were the camera and I swear there’s a defect in the mini where it overheats and drains the battery. I do think the newer iOS has maybe addressed that. I love the lighter weight and smaller form factor. If this thing had the camera of the 15pro I’d have paid whatever for it to be in the mini. I guess I’ll keep the 15Pro around for when I want the camera. Such a shame we can’t get a pro level mini. It was never a price point issue for me. I don’t know anyone that uses that weird fisheye wide lens anyway.
I feel the exact same way about the iPad. If they ever made a iPad Mini Pro, super lightweight, ultra thin, with M-whatevers, I’d buy it on day 1! I’d probably even buy 2 of them and trade in my others I have today.
 

the future

macrumors 68040
Jul 17, 2002
3,580
5,815
Outside of tiny bubble, folks don’t like tiny phones. Mini is/was a failed iPhone model.

Thing is, the smartphone market as a whole is so huge, even the Mini niche isn’t really „tiny“. It was and could still be a very nice business … for anyone but Apple. Apple is so big now, the iPhone Mini was just a blip on the radar. If, theoretically, another (smaller) company would be able (allowed) to make a Mini phone running iOS, it could be a roaring success … for them.
 
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